Horn



July 25, 1933. 1 H HUEBER 1,920,147

Filed July 20, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l s2 4s I 45 42 46 52 37 3313s 2s 52 as 36 gli 49 28 $2 l /23 5i :3- l 5,/ f 21 l 22 23 25 ze 5 INVENTOR BY ffewrvz//faer @WVM ATTORNEY Y July 25, 1933- H. HUEBER 1,920,147

HORN

Filed July 20, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY /fe/ify/Yzzeer i2 ATTORNEY 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 gmc/who@ @Mm/nag H. HUEBER July 25, 1933.

HORN

Filed July 20, 1932 Patented July 25, 1933 UNITED STA'I'ES PATENT OFFICE HENRY HUEBER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGN OR TO TRIGO PRODUCTS CORPORA- TION, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK HORN Application led July 20, 1932. Serial No. 623,626.

My invention relates to signal devices for giving warning sound notes and particularly to such devices as are adapted for use on automobiles, boats and other vehicles.

The invention has particular reference to a signal device of the trumpet type in which one or more columns of air are set into oscillation in a trumpet passage by iuid pressure means so as to create and amplify sound notes of one or plural tones. According to my invention, a .sound passage of relatively great length is provided, a portion of the passage bein within a thin-walled trumpet, so that a fait ful trumpet tone is emitted, and a continuing portion of the passage being formed within a small body, preferably comprising die-cast sections, which also houses means for setting the air column into sound-eifecting oscillation, whereby the devicejs compact and of neat appearance.

Further. desiderata for the invention are the provision of multiple trumpets in a signal device for emitting a multiple tone signal and of providing trumpets of similar size and contour, varying the effective length thereof by connecting them to a body or bodies having therein trumpet passage continuations of different lengths. According to this invention, the body or bodies, which contain the means for osc1llating the air columns, may be symmetricalv or duplicate in appearance.

These and other objects and advantages including those arising from the formation of the body parts, which permit the latter to be formed by die-cast operations and to be connected together by concealed fastening means, will become apparent from the following description of the typical embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a signal horn of the present invention, and fluid pressure connections therefor, mounted upon a motor vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the major portion of a horn as shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively bottom and top plan views of upper and lower body parts of the horn, as shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a-detail of a spring mounting embodied in the horn;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a multi-tone signal horn device of the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a side view, artl taken in section along line 8-8 of ig. of a portion of the device shown in Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a plan view depicting the lower portion of a modified multi-tone signal device of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 1, the signal device 10 may be mounted upon a vehicle 11 and connected by conduit sections 12, 13 to the intake manifold 14 of the vehicle engine 15 whereby suction maintaining in the manifold may draw air through the device 10 to eifect operation of it. A valve 16, prefer'- ably operable by electricity and energized through a circuit including battery 17, wires 18 and 19, and a horn button or switch 20 accessibly located in the drivers compartment of the vehicle, is interposed in the conduit between the sections 12 and 13 thereof. Also preferably interposed in the conduit is a suction storage tank or reservoir 21 for maintaining the supply of suction for the signal device substantially constant.

The signal device 10, as shown in Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive, includes a thin-walled tubular trumpet 22 and a body 23 containing sound generating mechanism and an extenslve continuation of the trumpet passage. The body includes cast upper and lower sections 24 and 25, the latter having formed therein a portion 26 of the passage which extends substantially the entire length of the body and terminates in an upward y extending passage portion 27. The latter merges into a curved passage portion formed by complementary troughs 28, 29 formed respectively in sections 24 and 25. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4,

the trough formed portion of the passage eX- tends outwardly in a curved path from a substantially vertical central opening 31 in section 24 to the passage portion 27 in section 25; and, as shown in Fig. 2, the entire trumpet passage increases gradually in diametral cross-section from the opening 31 to the iiared or belled outer end of the trumpet 22.

Superimposed upon the body section 24 is a valve casing section 32, that with section 24 forms a valve chamber 33 into which opening 31 merges. Aligned openings in body sections 24 and 25 constitute a port 34 connecting the chamber 33 with the suction conduit 12. The valve means, for alternately opening and restricting fluid passage from the springs 37 at points medial of their ends.

The spider, similar to that disclosed in my Patent No. 1,822,579, granted September 8, 1931, is supported by a shank 42 threaded through casing section 32. The shank has an adjusting head 43 exterior of the chamber 33, whereby it may be rotated to vary the pressure of the splder 41 upon the springs. A yoke 44 of substantially U-shape is apertured to pass the shank 42 and has its lateral portions engaged for vertical movement in guideways 45 on the casing section 32; and has projections 46 engageable in recesses 47 on the head 43 of the shank. Encircling the shank is a spring 50 which normally urges the yoke member against head 43, causing the projections to engage in the recesses to restrain rotation of the shank. In this manner, the shank, while adapted to be rotated without the use of special tools for adjusting thel valve 35, is normally held against accidental displacement.

A cover 48, preferably of sheet metal, ts snugly about the periphery of body section 24 and abuts the upper surface of, and is Hush with the periphery of, the lower body section 25. A plurality of resilient detents 49 about the lower periphery of the cover resiliently engage in recesses 51 formed in casing section 24, permitting the cover to be snapped into place or removed without the necessity for visible fastening means. The sections 24, 25 and 32 are secured together by removable fasteners 52 which are 'rendered accessible upon removal of the cover and are at other times entirely concealed. Flanges 53 may be formed on the lower or exposed body'section 25 for engaging mounting means or means for connecting the device to a vehicle.

In operation, upon opening of the closure of the horn button or switch 20, to open the valve 16 in the suction conduit, air under atmospheric pressure will flow through the trumpet passage and the continuing passages in the horn body, into the chamber 33 and thence through port 34 and conduits 12, 13 into the manifold 14 or suction reservoir 21.

This flow will be interrupted at high frequencies by the valve 35, in the manner described in `my Patent No. 1,810,478, herein'- before referred to. The rate or periodicity of oscillation of valve 35 may be varied by the adjusting means 41, 42, which are accessible upon removal of cover 48, so that the sound pulsations set up will be in resonance with the air column of the trumpet passage, and thereby eifect a powerful sound signal.

In the multiple-tone signal device depicted in Fig. 7, which is adapted to emit a blended or harmonized musical signal, a pair of tubular trumpets 22 and 122 of substantially identical contour and size, are connected to bodies 23 and 123, respectively, of similar but reversed exterior contour and dimensions. The body 23 is the same as that herein described with reference to Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, and the body 123 differing therefrom in a manner hereinafter described. As shown in Figs. 7 to 8, a pair of brackets 150, 150 having upper portions retained about a common supporting bar 151 by fasteners 152, serve to support the bodies 23, 123, fasteners 154 securing the respective brackets 150, 150 to flanges 53 of body 23 and to similar flanges 153 formed on body 123. A T-connection 155 joined to conduit 12, which extends to the intake manlfold as shown in Fig. 1, is joined to condult 12 communicating with the valve chamber in body 23, and to a similar conduit 112 com municating with a similar chamber 1n body 123.

As depicted in Figs. 7 to 8, body 123 includes upper and lower sections 124 and 125, the latter containing a passage portion 126, constituting an extension of the passage 1n trumpet 122, and merging by an upwardly extending portion 127 into a trough 129. The latter cooperates with a complementary trough 128, formed in upper section 124, to provide a further passage extenslon. merging into an opening 131 in body section 124 which communicates with a chamber containing valve mechanism similar to that shown in Fig. 2. A cover 145 extends over and about section 124, being substantially similar to cover 45.

Since the passage portion formed by troughs 128, 129 in body 123 is shorter than that formed by troughs 28, 29 in body 23, the total effective length of the air column within trumpet 122 and body 123 is substantially less than that contained Within trumpet 22 and body 23, and, when the valve means within the former are adjusted or tuned to operate at a frequency harmonious with the natural frequency of oscillation of the air columns, sound waves of lesser length than those emitted from trumpet 22, but of similarly great amplitude are emitted from trumpet 122. The inyention comprehends such relationship between the effective lengths of the passages in bodies 23 and 123, and their respective trumpets, that the frequency of oscillations of the air columns therein will be in harmony, whereby the signal emitted from the device will be of harmonious, musical chord.

Fig. 9 illustrates a modified signal construction wherein the trumpets 22 and 122 are connected to a single body 23 having mounting flanges 53 and 153 formed thereon for attachment to a suitablesupport (not shown) such as bar 151 of Figs. 7 and 8. The body 23 may likewise include upper and lower sections, the latter 25 containing a passage extension 26, communicating with the passage in trumpet 22, and a passage 126, communicating with the passage in trumpet 122. Substantially vertical passage portions 27 and 127 respectively merge passages 26 and 126 with troughs 29 and 129 formed on the upper surface of body section 25. The upper portion of body 23 has not been illustrated inasmuch as its contour may be ascertained from Figs. 2 and 8, Fig. 2 being substantially representative of a vertical section taken through the right side of the device as illustrated in Fig. 9, longitudinally of the passage 26 thereof; and portions of Fig. 8 shown in section being representative of a vertical section through the left side of the device of Fig. 9, longitudinally of the passage 126 thereof. A common iiuid exhaust opening for the device extends through the lower casing section 25 as indicated at 34', and is connectible to a conduit, such as conduit 12, extending to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, or other source of suction. It will be understood that the device of Fig. 9 operates in the same manner as that shown in Fig. 8, the oscillations of the air columns within passages of trumpets 22 and 122, and their respective continuations within the body 23', being in harmony, producing a signal of harmonized, musical tones.

It will be understood that the present invention in each of the forms described permits of a reduction in the length of the trumpet and the overall length of the signal device, to improve its appearance and facilitate mounting on a vehicle, while at the same time retaining the trumpet sound effect inherent in instruments having a thin-walled trumpet passage; that the novel arrangement and formation of the superimposed body sections permits the body to be formed by simple die-cast operations and, further, permits of securing the body and casing sections together without visible connecting means and with only one body section (the lower casting 25, 125, or 25) exposed. Further, and especially with reference to the devices of Figs. 7 and 9, the arrangement of passages in the body castings allows the sound passage in one of them to utilize the maximum dimensions of the body, consistent with economical manufacture, while the other, of substantially identical exterior appearance and size, to have a sound passage of relatively reduced length, whereby a multiple-tone signal note may be emitted from a symmetrical device having plural trumpets which may be of duplicate size and form.

It will be still further understood that the devices herein described and illustrated are merely typical embodiments of the inventive principles involved and that the latter may be applied to other devices having other structural details and arrangements, all within the purview of my invention. For example tlie trumpets 22, 122 may be formed integrally with the bodies 23, 123 or with body 23 without departing from my invention.

It will be understood that the terms upper and lower, and the like, appearing herein and in the appended claims, are used merely for convenience in describing the relationship of parts, and that the devices may be reversed, inverted or disposed at any desired angle without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fluid pressure horn, a body section having a passage extending therethrough, a trumpet secured to the body at one end to form a continuation of said passage, the other end of the passage terminating in a trough in one face of said body section, a second body section abutting the first mentioned section and having a trough complementing the irst mentioned trough to form a passage portion continuing from said other end of the first mentioned passage, a third body section secured to said second body section and cooperating therewith to provide a sound chamber, fluid operable means in the sound box for producing sound pulsations, and an opening between said,V

sound chamber and said passage portion.

2. In a fluid pressure horn, a body section having a passage extending therethrough, a trumpet secured to the body to form a continuation of one end of said passage, the other end of the passage terminating in a trough in one face of said body section, a second body section abutting the first mentioned section and having a trough complementing the first mentioned trough to form a passage portion continuing from said other end of theiirst mentioned passage, a third body section secured to said second body 'section and cooperating therewith to provide a sound chamber, fluid operable means in the sound box for producing sound pulsations, and an opening between said sound chamber and said passage portion, and the entire passage fromk the trumpet to said opening gradually decreasing in cross-sectional area.

3. In a fluid pressure operable signal device, an upper and a lower body section, one "f' said sections having a trough in its adjacent face cooperating with a Wall of the other section to define a portion of 'a passage, the lower body section containing.

a continuing part of said passage, a casing section superimposed on said upper body section and cooperating therewith to define a chamber, said upper body section having an opening between the trough-formed portion of the passage and said chamber, a conduit connected to said lower body section, said body sectionsl having a port therein connecting said conduit and chamber, and fluid pressure operable valve means in said chamber for alternately restricting and opening fluid communication between said conduit and passage.

4. In a fluid pressure operable signal device, a casing having a chamber and a trumpet passage extending from the chamber, a conduit connecting the chamber to a source of fluid pressure varying from atmospheric, a fluid pressure operable valve movable in the chamber for alternately restricting and opening fluid communication between the trumpet passage and conduit, resilient means in said chamber for supporting the valve against a seat, a headed bolt threaded through one wall of the casing for varying the tension of said resilient means, a member guided by the casing for movement axially of the bolt and engaging the head thereof, resilient means urging said member into contact with said head, and cooperating means associated with said member and head for restraining rotational movement of the head.

5. In a fluid pressure operable signal device, a casing having a chamber and a trumpet passage extending from the chamber, a conduit connecting the chamber to a source of liuid pressure varying from atmospheric, a Huid pressure operable valve movable in the chamber for alternately restricting and opening fluid communication between the trumpet passage and conduit, resilient means in said chamber for supporting the valve a ainst a seat, a headed bolt threaded throug one wall of the casing.,

for varying the tension of said resilient means, a member guided by the casing for movement axially of the bolt and engaging the head thereof, resilient means urging said member into contact with said head, and cooperating means associated with said member and head for restraining rotational movement of thehead, said means comprising a plurality of recesses in said head and a protuberance on the member engageable in said recesses.

6. In a fluid pressure operable signal device, a casing including an integral section having a curved trough extending along one face thereof, said section having a passage formed therethrough with its longitudinal axis in substantial parallelism with said one face and terminating at one end in a passage portion merging into one end of said curved trough, a second integral section fitted against said one face and having a curved trough complementing said first mentioned trough to form a curved passage forming a continuation of said first mentioned passage, and a passage formed in said second section merging into the end of the trou h-formed passage other than the end thereo connected to the first mentioned passage.

7 In a multi-tone signal device operable by suction maintainin in the intake manifold of an internal com ustion engine, a pair of casings each containing a chamber, conduits connecting said chambers to the intake manifold, a pair of trumpets of substantially equal size, one of said trumpets being connected to each of said casings, said casings having passages of unequal length extending between the trumpets and chambers, means in each of said chambers for alternately opening and closing communication between the passa es and chambers, the cyclic frequency of said means for each chamber being substantially equal to the natural frequency of oscillation of the air column in the connected trumpet passage and the trumpet passages being so related in effective length that a blended tone sound signal is emitted from the device.

8. In a multi-tone signal device, a pair of trumpets of substantially equal size, cas ing means connected to said trumpets and containing a pair of passages, one passage communicating with each of said trumpets, and means associated with each of said passages for producing sound pulsations, said passages being of unequal length, whereby the effective length of the air columns of said trumpets is different to permit the emission of a multiple tone sound signal from said device.

9. In a multi-tone signal device operable by suction maintaining in the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, a air of trumpets of substantially equal ength, casing means connected to said trumpets, said casing means having a pair of passages, one in communication with each of said trumpets, said passages being of unequal length whereby the effective length of the air columns of said trumpets is diflerent, chambers at the inner ends of said passages communicating with the intake manifold, and resiliently supported valves in said chambers for alternately restricting and opening fluid passage between the passages and the interiors of the chambers, said valves reciprocating at varying frequencies to set up sound pulsations in the trumpets in resonance with the air columns therein, to effect the emission of a multiple tone sound signal from the device.

10. In a fluid pressure operable signal device, casing means including upper and lower casing sections, a pair of passages in the lower end of said means, each passage merging into a trough on upper face por- 6 tions of said lower means, troughs on lower face portions of said uppermeans complementing the first mentioned troughs to provide,` passages continuing from said pair of passages, one trough-formed passage being substantially straight and the other trough-formed passage being curved, whereby the effective length of the passages of said pair is different.

1l. In a multiple tone signal device, casing means including upper and `lower casing sections, a pair of passages in the lower of said means, each passage `merging into a trough formed on the abutting face portions of one of said means, wall portions on the other of said means complementing said troughs to form passages continuing from said pair of passages, one of the Xtrough-formed passages being substantially straight and the other trough-formed passage being curved, whereby ,the elfective length of passages of said pair is different.

12.y In a iuid pressure operable signal device, an upper and a lower body section, said sections having troughs in their adjacent faces cooperating to define a passage portion, a tubular trumpet secured to\one f end ofthe lower section, said lower section having a supporting protuberance formed thereon adjacent thertrumpet and having a passage portion extending from the trumpet into one end of said first mentioned passage portion, a gcasing section superimposed on said upper body section and cooperating therewith to denne a chamber, said upper body section having an opening between the chamber and the other end of said rst mentioned passage portion, fluid pressure operable valve means' in said chamber for alternately closing and opening iuid communication between said chamber and opening, a conduit connected to said lower body section, and said upper and lower body sec tions having a port .formed therein connecting said conduit and chamber.

13. In a luidpressure operable signal device, an upper and a lower body section, said sections having troughs in their adjacent faces cooperating to define a passage por` tion, a tubular trumpet secured to .one end of the lower section, said lower section having a supporting proturberance formed thereon adjacent the trumpet and having a passage portion extending from the trumpet into one end of said first mentioned passage portion, a casing section superimposed on said upper body section and cooperating therewith to define a chamber, said upper body section having an opening between the chamber and the other end of said first mentioned passage portion, fluid pressure operable valve means in said chamber for alternatel closing and opening fluid communication' etween said chamber and opening, a conduit connected to said lower body section, said upper and lower body section having a port formed therein connecting said conduit and chamber, and a sheet metal cover detachably engaged with said upper body section and extending over said upper and third sections.

14. In a fluid pressure operable signal de vice, a plurality of casing sections cooperating to provide a chamber and a passage extending therefrom, said passage extending through and terminating in the lower of said sections, a trumpet secured to said lower section and forming a continuation of said passage, iuid pressure operable means in the chamber for setting up sound pulsations in said passage, and a sheet metal cover overlying the upper section and abutting the upper surface of the lower section, said upper section having a recess therein, and a detent on said cover for resiliently engaging in said recess to retain the cover in place, and fastening means accessible when said cover is removed for securing said sections together.

15. In a fluid pressure operable signal device, a plurality of casing sections cooperating to provide a chamber and a passage exf tending therefrom, said passage extending through and terminating in the lower of said sections, a trumpet secured to said lower section and forming a continuation of said passage, fluid pressure operable means in the chamber for setting'upsound pulsations in said passage, and a sheet metalcover over sections,-

16. In a Huid pressure operable signal device, a pair of body sections, one of said sections having a trough in its adjacent face cooperating with a wall of the other section to define a portion of a passage, one of said body sections containing a continuing part of said passage, a casing section superimposed on the other of said body sections and cooperating therewith to define a chamber, the last mentioned body section having an opening between the trough-formed portion of the passage and said chamber, a conduit Connected to the said chamber, and fluid pressure operable valve means in said chamber for alternately restricting and opening uid communication between said conduit and passage for the production of sound.

HENRY HUEBER.

means for securing the cover to said casingv` 

